Kenyan police jam communication gear in protest against low pay

Kenyan police have reportedly jammed communication equipment in retaliation to the reluctance of the government to implement phases two and three of their salary hike.

As a result the situation is said to have led in to slow response times by the emergency service, with Kenyans needing help contacting police heads on personal mobile lines as the problem persists.

Although there is no official response from the officers saying they are behind the communication mess, it is understood that this is the third time officers have taken such steps to force the government to keep up with the deal that was meant to see the lowest paid officer’s salary up from KSh18,000 (US$206) to KSh34,000 (US$390), placing the officers on the same scale as other civil servants.

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The development comes days after the high court in Nairobi ordered the police commissioner, network operators, the regulator and the Attorney general to restore the emergency line 999 by the end of the month after activist Okiya Omtata told the court that by the line not working was tantamount to the police absconding duty.

“The lack of toll free number is an impediment to the efficient and effective day to day administration and operations of police service,” Omtatah told the court.